Stabilized projectile.



I. H. HAYDEN. STABILIZED PROIECTILE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26, I9I5.

Patented May 2,1916. 2 SHEETSSHEETI WITNESSES 1. H. HAYDEN. STABILIZEDPROJECTILE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26, I915.

Patented May 2,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 WITNESSES.

range of the rifle.

JOHN H. HAYDEN, 0F PELHAM MANOR, NEW YORK.

STABILIZED PROJECTILE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1916'.

Application filed February 26, 1915. Serial No. 10,677.

1 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. HAYDEN, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Pelham Manor, county of lVestchester, Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inStabilized Projectiles,'.of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to ordnance, and particularly to stabilizingprojectiles against tumbling in a vertical plane and deviation fromtheir line of flight.

It has been suggested to provide helical rifiing bands within a gunbarrel with which a projectile cooperates during its passage through thegun, in order that a rotation about its longitudinal axis may beimparted to the projectile as it starts on its flight, and whereby itmay possess some of the properties of the gyroscope.

The manufacture of guns is very expensive, and the item of the cost ofcutting the grooves within the barrel to provide the lands of therifiing is largely the cause of the high total cost of -manufacture.Furthermore, the necessity for the presence of the rifiing bands withinthe rifle limits its useful life to a few more than 'a hundred shots,because every projectile in its passage tears away a part of the landsand the rifiing disappears. This is true regardless of'the efforts toperfect the design and the precision of manufacture without regard toincrease of total cost. In other words, it is impossible to make along-lived rifle at any cost.

The cost of a gun is greatly increased by the necessity of so designingits long barrel and its carriage that the severe torsional stresses setup in the barrel as it imparts rotation to the projectile will not tearoif the end of the barrel nor tear the barrel bodily from its support.The severity of the torsional stresses and the magnitude of the problemof designing a gun and its mounting to withstand them are readilyapparent when one realizes that from 25% to more than 50% of the forceof the powder charge is expended inimparting rotation to the projectilethrough the medium of rifiing bands. This waste of force of the .powderincreasesmuch more rapidly than the range,

Furthermore, the caliber and range of a rifle are limited,'because it isimpossible to provide'a-metal band on thereby absolutely limiting the avery large projectile which will take and hold the lands withoutstripping as the projectile passes through the gun.

To sum up, the method of imparting rotation to the projectile by the useof rifiing bands results in high cost of manufacture of un and carriagein the providing of rifiing bands and designing and mounting the barrelto withstand torsional stress, and a short life of the piece due toerosion of the bands and of the explosion chamber by the powder, in theinefficient use of the force generated by the powder charge which limitsthe'range' and in the limitation of the range and caliber of the gun,particularly when the total weight is limited, as on ships.

The object of my invention is to provide a projectile with a stabilizingmeans, so that it will not have to be rotated as a whole, and therifiing within a gun, along with all its disadvantages and limitingfactors, may be dispensed with and a long-lived large or small calibersmooth-bore gun may be made and mounted at a cost considerably less thanthe cost of making and mounting a rifle, and in such a gun the fullexplosive force of the powder may be used as projecting force. To thisend, I mount a stabilizing :Wheel within a projectile, and provide meansfor imparting rotation to the stabilizing'wheel before the projectilestarts on its flight and even after it is within the gun, and arrangethe operating means for the stabilizing wheel so that it may becontrolled, as to its actuation or as to the release of power stored upwithin it, from without the projectile. The stabilizing device isdesigned to alford the same stabilizing'eifect as the rotation of theprojectile, and, .being within the projectile and properly positioned,the air pressure has no opportunity to retard it and decrease itsefiect, andit i'smore efiicient due to the possibility of-locating it inthe projectile so that its stabilizing effect may be most eflicientlytaken advantage of.

This

tile embodying my invention, this increase of drift is avoided, becausethe shell itself is not rotating. It is, therefore, seen that by the useof my invention great economy of installation and operation of a gun isobtained, with greater accuracy of operation and without the limitationsof range and caliber imposed by the inadequacy of the method ofstabilizing projectiles by the use of rifling.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear from thefollowing detailed description when taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in whichFigure 1 is a sectional view of a' gun, showing a projectile therein,partly broken away to show a stabilizing wheel mounted within theprojectile in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional viewof the projectile shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view ofthe stabilizing wheel and its operating mechanism, as shown in Figs. 2

and 7 Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is apartial section on the line 55 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a sectional view ofa gun, showing a modified formof projectile and powder casing therein;Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the projectile and its powder casing shownin Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a sectional View on line 88 of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is asectional view on line 99 of Fig. 7; and Fig. 10 is a rear view of theprojectile shown in Fig. 2.

In large caliber guns, the common type of projectile comprises a hollowshell containing explosive, which is ignited by a percussion cap whenthe projectile strikes, and in Fig. 1 this projectile is shownpositioned Within the barrel 2 of a smooth-bore gun, which has a powderchamber 3 behind the projectile 1, which is closed by the breech block 4in the ordinary manner. The powder, which is placed within the chamber 3in the usual manner, is ignited in any known way to provide a projectingforce for the projectile. The projectile 1 comprises a shell having achamber 5 closed at the back by a wall 6 which is screwed into theshell. In this wall is screwed the ordinary percussion fuse 7 of thetype above described. Within the. chamber 5 there is mounted astabilizing wheel 8 and its operating mechanism M, which may be of thespring motor type or any other type of motor which may be practicallyinclosed within this confined space and which may be employed to impartrotation to the stabilizing wheel 8 at a predetermined time. Thestabilizing wheel 8 is mounted upon an axle 9, whose axis substantiallycoincides with the axis of the projectile, and which is mounted inroller bearings 10 and provided with a thrust bearing 11, so that it isgiven a forward velocity along with the projectile. Mounted on the hubof the stabilizing wheelie a gear 12, which meshes with an'overrunninggear 13, which comprises a gear ring 14 and a disk 15 connected togetherby an ordinary over-running clutch 16. The disk 15 is driven by theshaft 17, which receives its rotation from the operating mechanism M. Itis thus seen that a great turning effort may be imparted to thestabilizing wheel for a short time, and when the power producing theturning effort is exhausted the driving mechanism will overrun and thestabilizing wheel will not be retarded. It is intended in this case thatthe driving mechanism shall comprise an energy-storing device of anyknown type,'for example,'a spring motor, and, in order that this energymay be released to impart a rotation to the shaft 17 at the desiredtime, so that the stabilizing wheel may have its maximum speed when theprojectile starts on its flight, a trigger mechanism is provided torelease the stored energy. The trigger mechanism comprises a shaft 18driven by the operating mechanism, which shaft has mounted on it a gear19, which meshes with the gear 20 mounted upon shaft 21. On the shaft 21there is also mounted a ratchet wheel 22-, with which coiiperates' aratchet or looking dog 23 mounted on a pivot 24 and held in placethereon by friction, so .that, when moved out of contact with theratchet tooth 22, it will stay in that position, which results in thereleasing of the ratchet tooth 22. The ratchet or dog 23 coiiperateswith the ratchet tooth 22' on the ratchet wheel, and, in order todisengage it therefrom, a conical head 24 is provided on the operatingrod 25, and the operating head is so positioned relatively to theratchet or dog that an axial movement thereof will swing the ratchet ordog 23 about its pivot 24 to disengage it from the rod 25, so thata-pressure on plate 28 will move the conical head 24: axially to movethe ratchetor dog 23. When powderis put into the chamber 3 behind theprojectile, it is forced home by the breech block' or a ram, and it isintended thatthis final forcing home of the powder shall press upon theplate 28 and release the operating mechanism M to impart rotation to thestabilizing wheel 8. In order that the plate .28 may not be prematurelypressed, a lock 29 memes is slid under it'in-the groove 30, andthis isplaced in its position in the gun.

In, Fig. 6 there is shown a projectile 31 of a smaller caliber,positioned in the barrel 32 of a smooth-bore gun of correspondingcaliber. The powder charge is contained in a metallic case 33, and therear of the gun barrel is closed by the usual breech block 342. In therear of the case 33 is fixed an ordinary percussion cap 35 for ignitingthe projecting charge within the case. The projectile 31 is of theshrapnel type, and has a typical time-fuse head 36 for igniting thebursting charge 37 and scattering the shrap-. nel balls 38. Within therear of the shell, in this case, the operating mechanism M is mounted todrive the stabilizing wheel 8, and

the operating -mechanism M is released in the same, manner as in thecase of the largecaliber projectile above-described, except that theoperating rod 25 is extended through the rear end of the case 33 and isprotected by the tube 26' as it passes through the powder charge.Riveted on the rear of the'case isaplatec28', which cooperates with theend of the rod 25 to move it to release the operating mechanism, I asabove-.descrlbed 1n connect1on with the large-caliber projectile. Theplate 28 is locked from being swung to operate the rod 25' by a lockingmember 29', similar to the I looking member 29 above-described. The

plate 28', being on the rear QfthB powder case 33, is intended to bepressed down;

against the rear of the case by the breech block 34 when it is putin'closed position and the case 33 forced home,.so'that, in this case,the stabilizing-wheelqis started just as soon as the breech blockisclosed.

While I have described my stabilizing device in detail and as comprisinga stabilizing wheel driven-by a motor device, the motor device in theembodiment described beand that I shall not be limited to thatembodiment of my invention wherein the operating mechanism and thereleasing mechanism for the energy therein stored are positioned asspecifically described.

I intend that my invention shall be considered as broadly defined by theclaims and that I may be permitted to impart rotation I to thestabilizing wheel by any means which will come within the scope of,myinvention as defined by theclaims.

I do not intend that I shall be confined to any particularenergy-storing or energy-producing or imparting means, but that I shallbe entitled to any such means as come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis as follows 1. In combination with a gun for projecting a-projectilethrough the air, an aerial projectile having a stabilizing wheel andmeans operative independently of the projectile-propelling force foractuating said stabilizing wheelQ 2. In combination with a gun forprojecting a projectile through the 'air, an aerial projectile having astabilizing wheel, means operative independently of the projectilepropellingforce for actuating said stabilizin wheel, and means forsetting said actuatlng means into operation.

3. In combination with a gun for projecting a projectile through theair, an aerial projectile having astabilizing-wheel, and means entirelyinclosed within said projectile and operative independently of theprojectile propelling force for actuating said stabilizingwheel.

4. In combination with a gun for projecting a projectile through theair, an aerial projectile having a stabilizing wheel, and meanscomprising an energy storing device and operative independently of theprojectile propelling force for actuating said stabilizing wheel.

5. In combination with a gun for projecting a projectile through theair, an aerial projectile having a stabilizing means, means comprisingan energy vstoring device and operative independently of the projectilepropelling-force for actuating said stabilizing means, and means forreleasing the stored energy from without said projectile.

6. 'In combination with a gun, for projecting a projectile through, theair, an aerial projectile having a/stabilizing' means, a motor. thereforoperative independently of the force applied to said projectileto moveit longitudinally, and means for putting said motor in operation fromwithout said projectile. 1

7 combination with a gun for pro-.v jecting a projectile through theair, an aerial projectile adapted to be propelled through the air by anexplosion within said gun,

said projectile being provided with a stabilizing wheel and meansoperative independently of the projectile-propelling force for actuatingsaid stabilizing wheel.

8. II 1 combination, an aerial projectile havlng a stabilizing wheeltherein, means for imparting rotation to said wheel, and

.means operative independently of said last named means and including a,gun for projecting sa d projectile through the air by the action" ofanexplosion within the gun,

' energy stored therein.

11. In combination, an aerial projectile,

and stabilizing means including operating means therefor and entirelyinclosed within .said projectile, said operating means comprising anenergy-storing device and means for releasing the stored energy fromwithout said projectile.

12. In combination, a projectile for a breachloading'gun, a stabilizingmeans and operating means therefor and within said projectile, saidoperating means comprising an energy-storing device and means for'releasing the stored energy uponclosing the breech of the gun.

13. In combination, a gun having a removable breech block, a projectiletherefor having within it a stabilizing means, and means for putting.said stabilizing means into operative condition upon replacing saidbreech block.

14. In combination, an aerial projectile, and stabilizing meansincluding operating means therefor comprising an energystoring deviceand a connection between said stabilizing means and energy-storingdevice which permits said stabilizing means to overrun said operatingmeans when the energy is exhausted, said stabilizing means andenergy-storing device being entirely inclosed within said projectile,and means for releasing said stored energy'from without said projectile.

15. The combination with a gun having a v breech block, of a projectiletherein, said projectile having a stabilizing device within.

and means for putting the stabilizing device into operative conditionwhile the projectile is in position in the gun, said means extendingthrough the explosion chamber and cooperating withthe breech block.

. 16. In combination, an aerial projectilefor a breech-loading gun, astabilizing means, an operating means therefor, means for setting saidoperating means in motion, said last-named means being adapted to beactuated on ramming home the powder charge.

17. In combination, a projectile, a stabilizing means therefor,operating means for said stabilizing means, a .member extending throughthe rear of the projectile for setting said operating means in motion, amember mounted for motion with respect to the projectile and cooperatingwith said firstnamed member.

18. In combination, a projectile, a stabilizing device therefor,operating means for said stabilizing device, a powder casing for saidprojectile and a member extending through said casing for setting saidoperating means in motion and adapted to be actuated from without saidcasing.

19. In combination with a gun jecting a projectile through the air, anaerial projectile adapted to be propelled through the air by anexplosion within said gun, said projectile being provided with astabilizing device comprising a stabilizing wheel and means operativeindependently of the projectile-propelling force for actuating the saidstabilizing wheel.

20. In combination with a gun for projecting a projectile through theair, an aerial projectile having a stabilizing means entirely inclosedtherein, and means operative independently of the projectilepropellingforce for actuating said stabilizing means.

21. In combination with a breech-loading gun for projecting a projectilethrough the air, an aerial projectile having a stabilizing 'wheel, meansoperative independently of the projectile propelling force for actuatingsaid stabilizing wheel, and means for setting said actuating means intooperation upon theclosing of the breech of the gun. I

'22. In combination with a gun for projecting a projectile through theair, an aerial projectile adapted to be propelled through-the air by theaction of an explosion within said gun and having a stabilizing wheel,and a motor for said wheel operative independently of the force appliedto said projectile to move it longitudinally. In testimony whereof, Ihave signed my name to this specification, in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

I JOHN H. HAYDEN.

Witnesses:

JOHN I. GnMPLE, A. PsoHmRER.

for pro-

